Which of the following is NOT a criterion for NAAQS standards?

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect public health and the environment from harmful levels of specific air pollutants. The standards are based on scientific assessments and focus on components related directly to health and welfare.

Health-related criteria are essential because they concentrate on the risks posed to human health from air pollution, referencing studies about the effects of pollutants on various population segments. Similarly, environmental criteria evaluate how air pollutants affect ecosystems, wildlife, and various environmental contexts, ensuring that air quality standards protect the broader environment.

Public welfare criteria also encompass aspects of health but extend to factors like aesthetics and economic effects, considering how air quality can impact quality of life and general welfare.

In contrast, economic growth criteria are not included in the NAAQS standards. While economic factors might be important for policymakers when considering legislation and regulations, the NAAQS focus purely on the impacts of air quality on health and the environment, rather than directly balancing these standards against the needs of economic growth. Therefore, the inclusion of economic growth as a criterion would deviate from the primary goal of safeguarding health and the environment from pollution.